The Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1901. A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7204, 16 September 1901, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1901. A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.

Speaking, on the occaisio'a of the Royal vloit, «b itiho lunchicio'ni giTen 'to "the Vtt-eraais in Wellington, the Premier mad© seme memorable comments on 'the long-protracted nature of Ibho war in South' Arri'oa.. Tihls Ihe attributed in great pciafb to the untinxESy syanpatlhy of » section of tihe comanniTity at Home, 'and ; ho did! -not" hesitate to cliaaacteriso i» tho very stroragesb terms 'of (reproach the prcncunc-iicli pro-Boea* atbitude of cea^aiu po ; l'itiie!ians of the British. Empiaie ocid. tlwii f c-licwing. As Mr St'didon thisni pointed out, tlm quesbion of wWbh«r lliie war was a rigih'teous or an umighteous .was no Jtonger the Jssvm before the Empire. It was comonii'bbcdi to w«t, ain'di peace witdi ihonoivr wiaa onily ot/bainablo tua a results of a. successful campaign;, aodl the complete conquest of the Tiansvaail. Mr Seddicn. has r.ot had long to for a. Tinducatian of his remarks. A, cable rectiiTed by us on Saturday raliabfts ifliat the Boot TiviOiinen' w!m> were . permitlted t«o" leave 'tJie 'British camps for tihe purpose of pErsuadLnig tfc'ir husbands t-d saiiTendcr, ficuhdi thean reading the pro-B6cr speeches, recently delivered) ait Queen's Hall, Lccnd'on. The men were uu-cex.-cilia-tory, being coc-vinced) thab Great Britain is on .tibe vejrjo.of civil war.- Ib will be in- . to Mr Labouchere. and! Mr Saver, 'who were the itewd!jng lights a^.^e -mectdng v in question, as weU-as to "that section of the Pi-es3 which wporbs-d anS^PPO'i l^; ■t'h'C i n * flamanabory ultterahces ihereai^; to fiod tha,tthecr 'tiheoreticai inddg'np.tdon- bsts -had. such faar-reaching piWtiiica]; tfie'ebs. y But to the e-verage ■outsidier, iih-eir attite-de appcurs to 'haye a : positive value of effect quite •dts'ti-uc-ttve of its oubwiard) syanpaltiiy. If Mr Laboucbera on^dl his friend's imiag-Lne that 'the greiut-est Icindness #Ji€y cam dio their j "brother Boer" Vis Ho ■'induce hian-to keep * his hca'di in a n'Coio tm til the line vi table tightening comas, they: are ca^t'ainly going tfiie -best way about achieving this extraordinary idiea-1 cf ifriendehiip. Less eublimely egotistical people miighlb regai-disuchs.ineet-. ings as that aib the Quttemi's Hall ais provi'diiog" a dtireob uncenitdve to botb parties to carry on a> destructive -and! dbath-dteaMisg ; war, bulb the dnexoaiable logjo of iresulte musifa 'bow before tihe pro-Bo'eir's necessllty for stTeet-tioimer. posturing in a loud-voioEd breasft-beaitiing sympathy. The unfertunate men who are ihus sbimufaibed' toi contkiue a hopeless and Jnisseiiable warfare cadnob be blaoned^for •aocep^dng ibhe amspirtdi u-Uewunoss placed! ixb tbeir 'h^rnds as a true reflection of the tsimpar of the Enupir^, but -tihey mighfc wejUbß "tauglhitto pray, "Save -me, from my frieridis." 1 Wiit'hwi* sibtertHpt£ng to; an anialogy bt'bwesm <tih'o caiu^e and: effecb conitributing to ti^/iHiaged^.^^oi..' which-Am-eiica lies prosta'ate at th& moment, il may be safely submitted) tlaa*. the prtt-Boer movement carries in. its train equally unpardiocable crimes, for, which it .is directly' Kisponsible. In- a more sftijenwous mood 1 /, the country wouiid 1 not psi'mit the «xpressioa,- ofsuch sentiments as disgraced' the Queen's HaH meeting. ;